The creators of Stranger Things are opening up about the intense pressure behind bringing the hit Netflix series to a close. Matt and Ross Duffer, known as the Duffer brothers, shared fresh details about the stressful process of finishing the final season—revealing that even in the last stretch of production, the show’s climactic finale wasn’t fully written. Their behind-the-scenes experience is featured in Netflix’s new documentary, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, directed by Martina Radwan and now available to stream.
Netflix Documentary Shows Final Weeks Under Heavy Pressure
In the documentary, the Duffer brothers are seen entering the final weeks of filming with major deadlines still looming. Matt Duffer admitted that production and Netflix were urgently pushing for progress on the finale script, especially for episode eight.
“We were getting hammered constantly by production and by Netflix for episode eight,” he said, describing it as the most difficult writing environment they’ve ever faced.
He said the challenge went beyond time pressure, explaining that there was “so much noise” happening at the same time during the final stages.
The Ending Was Planned, But the Script Wasn’t Finished Yet
In one tense clip, Matt is shown speaking with the team on set, trying to reassure everyone despite the missing script pages. He insisted the ending was fully mapped out even if the finished script wasn’t physically there yet.
“It’s all plotted out,” he said, before admitting he still had to write it and they were running out of time.
The moment offered a rare look at how even big-budget, globally popular shows can be forced into a race against deadlines.
Filming Episode Eight Without a Completed Script
The documentary later jumps to the midpoint of production, Day 117, when the crew was preparing to begin filming the final episode. Set production assistant Montana Maniscalco shared on camera that the team was about to shoot episode eight even though it wasn’t completely written. Matt echoed the uncertainty and admitted he hadn’t even read the full final script during that stage.
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” he said. “This is so weird jumping to eight… Don’t love it. Don’t love it.”
Cast Reacts: “It Was Torture”
The pressure wasn’t limited to the writers. Actor Finn Wolfhard described the long wait for the final scripts as an emotional roller coaster.
“We had a year of being on the edge of our seats,” he said in the documentary. “It was torture.”
The filmmakers also captured footage from the final table read, which showed the cast getting emotional as the end of a decade-long story finally took shape.
Final Script Was Completed Days Before Table Read
According to the documentary, the Duffer brothers completed the script only a few days before the last table read. Matt revealed they finalized it the Wednesday prior to the table read held on Sunday, September 8, 2024. He said the team spent more time than ever working on that single episode, highlighting how much pressure the final installment carried.
Stranger Things Ends After Nearly a Decade
Stranger Things first premiered in 2016 and became one of Netflix’s biggest global hits. The show’s final season delivered a two-plus-hour finale titled “The Rightside Up,” bringing the battle against Vecna—played by Jamie Campbell Bower—to a climactic end. Netflix also continues to highlight the show’s strong viewership, noting massive numbers for Season 5’s Volume One and the long-term growth of its fanbase.
